The black dog running loose on the expressway got to be pretty good at dodging traffic during the morning rush hour. He was also good at dodging the police who were doing their best to catch him before he got killed or caused a serious accident. Cars were braking hard and zigzagging around him, trying not to hit the long-legged, half-grown pup as he ran between the lanes of traffic and sometimes crossed lanes.
Others besides the police were trying to catch the dog too. He was being offered dog treats, which didn’t seem to interest him. After several hours and frequent narrow escapes with cars, he eventually left the expressway and disappeared into a forest preserve. Then the traffic helicopter following the dog from the air and reporting his whereabouts to a radio station lost sight of him. They thought the chase was over.
However, the very next morning the chase picked up again. The same black dog was on the loose in rush hour traffic on the very same expressway! It was a repeat of the day before, with the police trying to get him out of the fast moving traffic so he wouldn’t get hit or cause an accident. And once again the traffic helicopter was following the dog and warning drivers of the dog’s whereabouts.
Was the dog unaware of the danger he was in? Was he too young to know that any one of those cars could have killed him? Maybe it all seemed like fun to the dog, but his life was in serious danger.
What about you boys and girls and teens? Are you unaware of the danger zones that are out there, close by in your neighborhood and maybe available right in your own home? Some of those danger spots include certain video games, magazines, movies, television shows and Websites on the Internet. Satan plants his bait wherever you might go looking for fun. Some of you might be too young to know the danger zones. But some of you might be tempted to try some of these things anyway. They look like fun and you’ll know when to stop. That’s exactly what Satan wants you to do—try it—and soon he’s got you hooked on something dangerous, not only for your eyes, ears and mind, but for your very life!
Now whatever got the dog hooked on running around on an expressway during rush hour we’ll never know. It was terribly dangerous, and on the second day one car did hit him, but it didn’t seem to slow him down—he kept running.
After several hours, three squad cars did manage to corner him by a fence where he almost got away by scooting under it. But a quick police officer caught the long-legged pup by the scruff of the neck and put him in the back seat of the squad car. The officer said the dog promptly fell asleep while on the way to an animal hospital. They didn’t know if the dog was seriously hurt.
Boys and girls and teens, are you listening to your parents’ warnings about the evil and dangerous things that are easily available to you? Yes, it may look like fun, but it’s Satan’s bait that will lead you into sin and habits that are difficult to break and may threaten your life. Your friends from school may try to get you involved. But God’s Word warns, “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Proverbs 4:14-15). Doing exactly what this verse says is the smart thing to do. You’ll avoid a lot of sadness and regrets.
We don’t know how animals feel, but this stray dog had to be pretty miserable for a while. Besides being exhausted and dehydrated with a high fever, one leg was injured but not broken, and his paw pads were worn down and had large blisters on them. He had no collar or ID tags, so when he has recovered, they will find a good home for him where somebody will love him and train him to obey.
If this young dog could talk, he might warn you not to fool around with dangerous activities. He might say, “It’s NOT worth it!” He did not lose his life, but he came very, very close. And you could too, if you ignore your parents’ warnings and especially God’s warnings from the Bible. Here is some very good advice from God: “Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not” (Proverbs 8:33).
MEMORY VERSE: “Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.” Proverbs 8:33
ML-08/22/2010